The California oyster growing unit of Pacific Seafood Group has won a reprieve from state regulators who have temporarily renewed the company’s permits pending further review.
The company’s Coast Seafoods subsidiary faced the possibility of the abrupt closure of its Humboldt County operations, where it grows oysters and clams on 278.6 acres, after a June decision from the California Coastal Commission unexpectedly denied the renewal of its permits.
In a six-to-five decision, the commission in early June rejected both Coast’s bid to renew its license, which it has held since 2006, as well as a proposed expansion that would have added another 265 acres in the northern bay.
Commissioners who opposed Coast’s permit stated that the project had not adequately addressed potential impacts to ecologically significant eelgrass beds in the bay.
Coast subsequently applied on June 12 for a temporary extension, which means the commission will now have until the end of 2017 to consider Coast’s long-term lease application.
Had the permits not been renewed, Coast would have had to cease operations Aug. 10.
“I would like to thank the California Coastal Commission and staff for getting our current permit swiftly back on the agenda and an additional permit extension for the current footprint was granted with a unanimous vote,” Jon Steinman, Coast’s general manager said in a statement to Undercurrent.
“We continue to work with Coastal Commission staff, and look forward to having a new long term permit on the Coastal Commission agenda in the very near future.”
A spokeswoman for Pacific said the extension will also give the company time to submit a revised plan for expansion.
Source: undercurrentnews.com
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